I don't remember seeing Glenn Turner play - although I must have done at some point in the 1979 World Cup, when he returned briefly to the New Zealand side (and batted at 4 so as not to break up the established opening pair of Wright and Edgar). But for a New Zealander, even one playing most of his cricket in England, to make a hundred first-class 100s was an astonishing achievement, on a par with his countryman Richard Hadlee becoming the first man to 400 Test wickets a few years later. It only emphasises how much his country missed him when he was unavailable - perhaps no other cricketer since SF Barnes has had a clearer idea of his own value.

I automatically assumed the article would be about Martin Donnelly for some reason.

>>>>>>WHHOOOOOOOOOSHHHHHHH>>>>>>Fascist Dictator of the Heath Davis Appreciation SocietySupporting Petone's Finest since the very start - Iain O'Brien
Adam Wheater - Another batsman off the Essex production line
Also Supporting the All Time #1 Batsman of All Time Ever - Jacques Kallis and the much maligned Peter Siddle.

Was wondering if someone might latch on to the deliberately slightly disingenuous title. Turner was the first to be recognised as a pro by the New Zealand Board, but not the first to play the First Class game professionally, which is why I slipped in the names of Hitchcock and Pritchard for when I got called on it.

I haven't actually looked for the first ever County pro from NZ but Cec Dacre is certainly an excellent shout - apparently he hit his first ball in Championship cricket for 6, something I don't suppose too many others have done.

"The PFA does not represent players when they have broken the law and been convicted on non-football matters."- Gordon Taylor in 2009 following Marlon King's release after a prison sentence for sexual assault & ABH

Yep I'd have thought Dacre. Alot of sheepshaggers went to England play for pay in the 30s. A number ending up playing for Sir Julien Cahn. They weren't considered for NZ as a consequence. Merv Wallace said that if NZ selected some like Dempster, Blunt, James and Merritt and picked others they eventually left behind like Pritchard and Christensen, they would have beaten England in the 37 series.